Medical headlight



April 28; 1959 j R. H. GILLER MEDICAL HEADLIGHT Filed Dec. 19, 1956 INVENTOR. ROBERT H. G ILLER BY I Atiorne MEDICAL HEADLIGHT Robert H. Giller, Jamaica, N. Application December 19, 1956, Serial No. 629,331

7 Claims. or. 240-4115 This invention relates to medical headlights. More particularly, it is concerned with new and useful improvements in such devices, whereby a highly desirable and practical medical headlight is provided. I

The headlight of the present invention is attachable by a suitable band to the forehead. It is used by the wearer to throw light upon a subject under observation so as to permit a clear visual examination of the subject. It includes a lens assembly which is manually adjustable whereby the light of a lamp in theheadli'ght may be focused as desired upon the object.

A feature of the invention lies in its structure, whereby the heat from the lamp housed therein is rapidly dissipated so that the device does not become hot., It therefore can be comfortably handled.

A further feature of the invention lies in the arrangement of the lens in the device, whereby blind focusing of the device may .be made without danger of manually touching the lens. An advantage of this feature is that the possibility of fouling the lens surface is reduced to a minimum.

Another feature of the invention lies in improved means for locking the housing of the device to a sleeve carrying the lens and in other means for locking the lens in the sleeve.

A still further feature lies in novel means whereby the lens assembly, which is slidable on a support carried by the headband, is prevented from being pulled free of j the support in the blind focusing operation.

Another feature of the invention lies in the construction of the housing, whereby the latter. not only aids in dissipating the heat of the lamp,but is tough, durable, and not subject to cracking under customary conditions of use.

A general object of this invention is, therefore, to provide a headlight which is long lasting and of an improved and practical nature, making it highly desirable for use as a medical headlight.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide a medical headlight which is not hot to the. touch, can be focused without being pulled apart, and is of lightweight and sturdy construction.

The invention further lies in the particular construc tion and general organization of its compartment parts as well as in their cooperative association with one another to effect the results intended herein.

The foregoing and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear more fully hereinafter from a consideration of the detailed description'which'follows, taken together with the accompanying drawings wherein an embodiment of the invention is illustrated. his to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for purposes of illustration and description, and are not to be construed as defining the limits of the invention.

In the drawings: Fig. 1 is an exploded view of a medical headlight illustrating the invention;

United States Patent outwardly by lens by a rear portion nosed portion 4.

ice

"rotated 180 degrees from that shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 5 is a rolled-out-flat view of the sleeve member and housing;

Fig. 6 is a cross section taken on 2; and

Fig. 7 is a sectional detail showing a detent of one of the housing ribs engaged in a slot of the sleeve member.

Reference is now directed to the several drawings for a more detailed description. The drawings disclose a medical headlight comprising a cylindrical housing or jacket 1 in which is fitted a cylindrical sleeve member 2 carried for slidable movement on a lamp socket support 3 and having locked in a nosed end 4 a lens 5. The support 3 is fitted with a shaft and ball 6, forming part of a swivel joint which is attached to a headband, not shown.

The lamp support 3 is of cylindrical form, and is made of hard material, which may be phenolic resin, or the the line 6-6 of Fig.

' like. Its forward end is counterbored so as to accommodate an electric socket in which is received a lamp 7.

the support. Light given off by the lamp is projected S. The projected light may be focused by simply sliding the sleeve member 2 in a longitudinal direction on the support 3 so as to adjust the position of the lens relative to the lamp. The diameter of the lamp is less than that of the sleeve so as to allow the latter to slide clear thereof. 7

The sleeve member 2 is fashioned of thin gauge slightly resilient metal, preferably of lightweight. It isfully open at both ends. The forward end is, however, nosed slightly inward, as indicated by the marginal conical portion 4. Lens 5 is plano-convex. The major portion of its curvature projects through the forward open end of the sleeve, and is prevented from escape therefrom seated against the inner wall of the In order, rearwardly of thelens, is a thin washer 9, a color absorbing and correcting member 11, and a washer 12 having a slightly-conical form which abuts the rear of member 11 and is press fitted into locked condition against the inner wall of the sleeve member. By this arrangement, the lens assembly is seecurely locked in position.

The lamp 7 gives olf considerable heat. Practical means is here provided for rapidly carrying 0E and dishot. A hot headlight is not only uncomfortable to the wearer, but is also uncomfortable to handle, particularly when focusing the device. To this end of dissipating the heat as rapidly as possible, the body of the socket support 3 is fluted, as, indicated by the longitudinally extending grooves 14. The latter open out at the forward end of the support. At the rear, the grooves taper, as at 15, up to the surface of a radially enlarged portion 16 of the support. The flutes or grooves 14 are separated by lands 17. The lands provide a reduced periph* eral surface 18 which is due to a slightly raised rib 19 at the forward end of each land, and a shoulder 21 formed at the rear of each land by the enlarged portion 16. When the sleeve member has been moved to its most rearward position on the support 3, the rear tapered ends 15 of the flutes are exposed to atmosphere, as in Fig. 2. By this construction, heated air within the sleeve escapes through the vented flutes to atmosphere. To provide .a cooling draft to the interior and surrounding surface of the sleeve member, the latter'isspaced, as at 22, from the inner wall of the outer housing. It is also provided with a plurality of circumferentially spaced holes 23. These are located preferably near the forward end of the sleeve. It is clear, that cool air will flow vthrough-"the openends 24,.25. of: the .outer housing to fingers give E oils and sweat, and therefore will foul the lens upon coming in contact therewith. A suitable protection is provided here by extending the forward end of the housing so as to substantially surround the projectthe space 22. It will swirl over the 'metal sleeve,.-pass 5 ing curvature of lens 5, as at 36. By this arrangement .throughHthe. holes.23, overuthe lamp .7,- and will escape the tendency will be when focusing, to contact the exthrough th .ventedlflutesl4 to atmosphere. tended end of the housing instead of the lens. This 2The.sleeve.member is limited in. the extent of its'forextension of the housing provides a further advantage. wardslidingmovement on the support 3.by meansofthe It tends to cause air drafted into the space 22 between iendribs 19,1and in its rearward movement by the-shoulder the s g and Sleeve members to enter all angle portions 21 of the support. The rib and shoulder 'eleover the curvature of the lens, thus aiding in keeping ments 19,21 cooperate with a resilientclamp formation the lat r c001- 26' formed at 'the rear of the 'sleeve member in control- The housing or jacket 1,'besides being formed of ma- .lingthe movement of. the latter. .The clamp; formation terial f p or l heat conduetivitwis characterized comprises.. .a.;pair-.of resilient earsZT'defined by. a.peby a succession of closely spaced circumferential ribs 37 .ripheral slott28in the sleeve which is in turnv split or integra ly formed 011 the Outer Surface of the j slotted through as nt 29a from its mid area to the. rear These i are relatively cool to the touch and rv as :oritside of the. sleeve. The. ears are. depressed. slightly .ameans permitting comfortable manual handling of the esoIas to provide an innerdia-meter. slightly .less than-that 'deilice for reflectingfocusing of the Sleeve member-2- '.fofithej-inner. diameter ofthe forward main body portion whcnifoeusingethe. device, there is a customary tendof 'the"sleeve. "This. inner diameter -of .the ears is .comeIlCY t0 IOtateVl-he eleeve member the pp 50 plernentary. to. that of the surface, at the lands 17 oflthe as provide aifine j s .To avoid What might supp0rtf3,.a1id the inner diameter of the'main body por- I be called bumping sounds of the sleeve on the support tion of the sleeve is complementary to the outer diam- Whenlhesleeve is rotated, the lends- 17 are f dd 111 eter of. the ribs 19 of the support, I a emblin lth ber; here five innumber. ".By this structure there are no sleeve t 'the suPPorLthe ear Portions 27 are'forced-over 5 flats P' as might Otherwise Ocellr- The lends the ribs"19, whereup0n they resiliently grip the land area. andj g'roovesin' between are of substantially equal angu- It is 'clearfthat by this construction whenthe sleeve is l ar "distance, and are arranged so h pp each moved \rear'waidly, it will be limited in the extent of'this groove is land, w r y lhe Outer i r -0f the movem nt upon. ab m f th rear edges of'the ears 30 land surfaces presented to the sleeve member is substan -with"the.shoulders 21; "it will 'be limited in the'extent of Yti'a'lly :u form, Which would not be the case werea Iits'forward movement upon the ribs19 passing intothe gro'bvedisposed opposite a groove, and a land opposite "slot28 and'engaging the forward edges of the ears, as in a 'Eig. 3, "jI-Ien i focusing the device, it is clear thatthe -"Asea'rlier'mentioned, the device of the present invensleevetimember will be prevented from escaping free of lfP a Practical and highly desirable medical "the support 3. headlight. Focusing of the light provides from a tiny spot The sleeve member 2.is fitted snugly intothe housing g g beam) and throat Works to "andissecurely-lockedtherein. The housing 1 is. Of'lelam p (p r l ml r h v gi l n r l i'tivelyithin gauge construction and is'formed' of sturdy, work, up to a large spot.(diverging beam) for general ,lyet'slightly resilient material; such plastic, here, nylon 40"surfacework. plastic. Formed on the inner wall of the housing-are a The 60101 absorbing Correcting member 11 is P i'plurality of longitudinally extending ribs'29, 31. These y bllliSh- I r s to nhan Vision and minimize "ribs abut'the surface of the sleeve member was to proeyestrain, thus benefiting diagnostic Surgical accuvide thespacing "22. Th rib a spaced equally apart :racy'"by aiding tissue identification, revealing small blood from one .another and'are' four in number. Ribs 29 5" ess'els, minute; hemorrhages, etc., that are difiicult or are relatively longer'than the others and are provided. at "their rear ends with slightly raised" formations oridetents 32. These 'are adapted to engage in opposite .ends of aperipheral' slot 33formed intheear sectionof the sleeve. oppositely' tolthe free ends of the ears. Inas- "sembling'the sleeve'intothe housing, the nose end of'the sleeveis entered into the rear of the housing and forced over the slight elevation of thedetents. In this process impossible to define under ordinary incandescent filament candescent light,"so that the daylight in color.

"agnosis'and"surgery,"as it makes tissue and fine vessels light. This colortabsorbingor correcting member functionsto removesuflicient red" and yellow rays of inprojected beam' approaches "This is of particular advantage in di more distinct. Whereas, without this member, the tissue appearsexcessively'fatty and "manyfine blood vessels are "the solidportions ofthe'sleeve between the holes 23 are j 'alig'ned'withfthe housing'ribs 29, 31. The sleeve member Whil n emb iment of the invention has been illus- "is entered forwardly-into" the housing until the detents trated and described in detail, it 'tobe vexpressly register with the slot 33,'whereu th ri tem n p in -derstood that the 'invention'is 'not limited thereto. Varith slot and lock the sleeve 'memberagainst' further-forflousehanges can made in the design and arrangement ward D1 rearwardmovenrent in'the hou'sing. The spac- "bflhe'PaI'tSWithoutdeparting from the Spirit and Scope ingot-the detents'from" each other and the angular disof the invention as 'the samewill now be understood by tance"of"slot33 aresuch that the 'detents also'engage 'those skilled inthe-art; and it is my intent, therefore, to against opposite ends34' ofthe"slot;'whereby' rotational "'claimitheinventioninet y Shown and described but "movement "of'the" sleeve in the housing is prevented.

also in all such forms and modifications thereof as may Th fle ti f h d g-i no greaterrthtan ththiclp reasonably berconstrued to fall within the spirit of the ness of"'the"sleeve' wall so as not tointerferewithany invention alld'the SCOPe 0f the pp Claims- 'ente'ring'movement' of the support? into the sleeve. What I Claim If'is to 'be'noted that the free" ends of the ears are 1 n* l headlight comprising an elongated "lipped'slightlyoutward, as at 35. 'This prevents the free PP "attachable at its headband,' an electriends 'of the ears from biting into the grooves 14 ofthe tcal socket-contained in a counterbore of the forward "*supportyas might "otherwise 'happen "shouldthe sleeve tendofthe support and carrying a lamp, and a sleeve slidbe'rotated onthes upportduring a focusing operation.

table. back andtforth on the supportover thelarnp and *Becauseof'the' blind location of lthe headlight on .having in one end forwardly of the lamp a lens, shoulder theforehead, focusing offthe device is "done blindly, means in the rear area of the supporttov limit the extent andby hand. Ittis accordingly'desiredthat/the lens be 7 rofvrearwardtmovement of. the-sleeverelative to the lamp guarded in some way-kfroni contact with 'the' hand. 'The r not visible. 55

upon abutment of the rear ofv thesleeve with the shoulder means, and radially extending detent means on the forward end of the support engageable with circumferentially disposed slot means in the rear area of the sleeve so as to limit the extent of forward movement of the sleeve relative to the lamp, wherein the sleeve is adapted to become hot from the lamp and is characterized by means to permit manual handling thereof, said latter means being a covering jacket fitted tightly upon the sleeve for movement with the latter as a unit, the jacket being formed of material of low heat conductivity and having integrally projecting from its surface a succession of closely spaced narrow ribs which are relatively cool to the touch.

2. A medical headlight comprising a slightly resilient cylindrical housing open in its ends, rib elements formed longitudinally of the inner wall of the housing and spaced equally apart, a cylindrical metal sleeve fitted snugly within the housing in surface abutment with the ribs whereby the sleeve is spaced from the inner wall of the housing, slight radial elevations on a neighboring pair of the ribs engaged in opposite ends of a circumferential slot of the sleeve whereby the sleeve is locked against longitudinal as well as rotational movement relative to the housing, a lens assembly closing over an open forward end of the sleeve, a socket support, the forward end of which is slidably received in a rear open end of the sleeve, a lamp disposed in the forward end of the support, and means for attaching the support at its rear to a fixed headband, wherein the socket support is provided with peripheral shoulder means on its rear, peripheral rib means at its front end, and a reduced inbetween area, the sleeve is formed with a second circumferential slot forwardly of the first mentioned slot and in an opposed portion of the sleeve wall and a pair of resilient ears defined by a split from the second slot to the rear outside of the sleeve, the ears being in resilient engagement with the reduced area of the support, whereby the extent of rearward movement of the sleeve is limited upon abutment of the rear edges of the ears with the shoulder means and the forward movement of the sleeve is limited upon engagement of the peripheral rib means with the forward edges of the ears, the reduced area of the support having a greater longitudinal dimension than the ears.

3. A medical headlight as in claim 2, wherein the support is provided with a plurality of longitudinal flutes which open out at their forward ends through the peripheral rib means into the sleeve and at their rear a little beyond the peripheral shoulder means, and the sleeve has a plurality of circumferential holes near its forward end, whereby a chimney effect is provided through the spacing between the sleeve and housing and by the holes and the flutes to rapidly draft to the outside heat generated by the lamp.

4. A medical headlight as in claim 3, wherein the flutes are spaced one from the other by land portions of the support, the angular distance of the lands and flutes being substantially equal, and the lands and flutes being odd in number whereby each flute is opposed to a land.

5. In a medical headlight including a focusing sleeve and a lamp support for the sleeve, the sleeve being characterized by an open forward end tapering in its marginal portion slightly inward and defining a conical internal seat for the marginal peripheral portion of a planoconvex lens, a lens assembly mounted in the sleeve, wherein the lens assembly comprises an outer planoconvex lens closing over the open end of the sleeve and having its rear marginal peripheral portion seated upon said internal seat, a color absorbing member rearwardly of the lens, a thin washer spacing the color absorbing member from the lens, and a washer element press fitted into the sleeve into abutment with the rear of the color absorbing member, whereby the lens assembly is locked in the sleeve against slipping its position.

6. In a medical headlight including a support, an electrical lamp projecting from an end of the support, a thin metal sleeve surrounding the lamp in close spaced relation thereto and having a lens in an end thereof forwardly of the lamp, wherein the sleeve is slidable upon the support for focusing the lens relative to the lamp and is adapted to become hot to the touch, the improvement comprising an open ended jacket tightly fitted about the sleeve for movement with the latter as a unit, characterized by a succession of closely spaced narrow circumferential ribs integrally formed upon the outer surface of the jacket and serving to be manually gripped for slidably focusing the sleeve, and wherein the jacket and ribs are formed of material having low heat conductivity whereby the latter property the peripheral surfaces of the ribs are substantially cool to the touch.

7. In a device including a lamp, a thin metal lens focusing sleeve surrounding the lamp in close spaced relation thereto, and a support for the lamp upon which support the sleeve is slidably supported, wherein the sleeve is adapted to become hot from the heat of the lamp; means protectively covering the sleeve and serving to enable comfortable manual handling thereof, comprising an open-ended jacket tightly encasing the sleeve for movement with the latter as a unit, wherein the jacket has a succession of closely spaced circumferential ribs formed integral with its outer surface and extending substantially end to end thereof, and wherein the jacket and ribs are formed of material of low heat conductivity.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,068,717 Wappler July 29, 1913 1,609,901 Boeckenhauer Dec. 7, 1926 1,705,465 Cameron Mar. 19, 1929 1,893,773 Good Ian. 10, 1933 2,026,156 Alexander Dec. 31, 1935 2,287,328 Rose June 23, 1942 2,339,356 Sachs Jan. 18, 1944 2,433,690 Garstang Dec. 30, 1947 2,452,450 Fredenburg Oct. 26, 1948 2,452,646 Frankel Nov. 2, 1948 2,477,957 Briskin Aug. 2, 1949 2,517,422 Gellman Aug. 1, 1950 2,692,329 Carter Oct. 19,1954 2,740,882 Soucy Apr. 3, 1956 

